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Celebrating the virgins of our time

Recently, young men and women gathered to celebrate chastity and purity. They are young people who have kept themselves away from the moral decadence in Nigeria by remaining virgins. ADEJO DAVID who witnessed the event reports

It was not the kind of crowd one would expect at such an otherwise solemn event. Earlier that morning, the heavens had opened up and poured torrential rain which had threatened to disrupt the event. But as the intensity of the rain increase so was the number of “virgins” drawn from schools, churches, mosques who had come for the second anniversary celebration of Virgin and Purity, organized by Virgin Pride Network (VPN) in Ikeja Lagos.

The virgins were immaculately dressed in pink and white while the hall was also symbolically decorated in pink and white. The concept, Virgin and Purity was the brainchild of Nkechi Odebiyi who is also the President of Virgin Pride Network. According to her, it was an initiative that seeks to celebrate young people who imbibe purity and chastity in a world that is fast losing its meaning.

In Nigeria, it is no longer in fashion for young people to keep their virginity until the day of marriage. According to socio-behavioral scientists, media influence is a major factor in moral decadence in the country.

Available statistics also revealed that the number of women getting married as virgins have decreased in the last 20 years in Nigeria, while religious organizations in the country no longer make it mandatory for brides to remain virgins until marriage.

“There is no doubt there is a low level of moral uprightness in the country at this time, the infusion of foreign culture into the country, the influence of the media and Hollywood movies are the major factors that contributed to moral decadence in the country, people no longer see sex as sacred or holy and something to wait for, they see it now as a social thing to be enjoyed anytime,” a clergy, Adegboyega Adeyemi said.

Adeyemi also blamed corruption for the moral decadence in the country saying leaders who exhibited corrupt behavior have lost the moral rights to lead the country and this has impacted negatively on the youths.

However, another clergy, Dare Adeolu of Christ the Redeemers’ Mission, Abule Egba on the outskirts of Lagos said the level of moral depravity in the country is attributed to the work of the devil. “If you see the level of moral decadence and how the youth no longer see the things of God as sacred, you will know this is more than the work of Hollywood, it is the devil. That is why we can only counter this through praying and spiritual warfare.”

Odebiyi agreed that the level of moral depravity in the country has to be reined in and therefore set up the VPN to rewards youths who have kept the sacred vows. “This organisation was set up to know the mind of God for us regarding sexuality. We need to know what God expected from us, His desire for us is for a woman to remain a virgin and undefiled until she is married. Our idea is going back to the creation of human beings the way God made it to be,” Odebiyi said.

That was the essence of the celebration of virgins in Lagos. To show to the world there are still those who will chose to remain pure even with the moral decadence in the country and to educate the virgins on the ways to remain so in the face of temptations.

Tunde Odebiyi, who was the father of the day admonished the girls to remain pure in the face of the strongest temptation. But one of the facilitators Ihuoma Onyearuga gave the youths an expert plan. She said the girls should maintain their status by using common sense. This include being careful of the places they go, the kind of friends they keep, the kind of movies they watch and the kind of fun they have. If they do this, Onyearuga assured they would maintain their status as virgins till marriage.

The virgins also had their say. Oluwafunmilayo Demehin, a 21-year old undergraduate of the University of Lagos said being a virgin has helped her to be confident about contracting diseases or getting unwanted pregnancy. She said her parents have been helpful but ultimately it was the fear of God that has kept her.

A medical doctor, Theresa Ekwere counseled parents not to allow their children stay indoors with male friends, families and strangers while saying children should be given sex education early in life.

The virgins also carpeted the law against rapists and pedophiles. Odebiyi said the law is not strong enough and that her organisation may in the future sponsor a stronger legislation against sexual offences. The highlight of the event however was when Odebiyi promised the virgins a special gift if they remained a virgin till their wedding day. And the gift will be given to them on their wedding day if she was invited.

August 6, 2014
Barkley returns in time for pre-season tour

Everton will welcome the return of England midfielder Ross Barkley ahead of their pre-season tour of Thailand today.

The 20 year old was part of Roy Hodgson’s squad during a disappointing World Cup campaign, featuring in every group game, and has been linked with a move to a host of clubs including Manchester City.

However, Irish full-back Seamus Coleman is set to miss the tour after withdrawing from Everton’s friendly against Tranmere Rovers as a precaution over a hamstring concern.

Speaking to the club’s television channel evertontv, manager Roberto Martinez said: “He will miss the Thailand trip to give proper consideration to his injury, for proper treatment and to remove any chance of aggravating that feeling that he had.

“We don’t really know the extent of the injury yet but it is sometimes a little bit of a setback that comes with pre-season preparation and getting a lot of volume into the bodies. Hopefully it is going to be just a minor setback.”

Coleman, who made 36 league appearances last season, will be joined on the sidelines by long-term absentees Bryan Oviedo and Arouna Kone.

Meanwhile, former Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson made his first appearance in nine months, appearing for 45 minutes against Tranmere.

The 26 year old suffered serious cruciate knee ligament damage during Ireland’s victory over Kazakhstan last October.

“Darron looks really strong,” Martinez added. “It’s been very frustrating for him to spend such a long time away from the football pitch. But when you see him using that technical ability he has and the quality he brings to the side, he is like a fresh player coming back to us.”

July 24, 2014
Time warner rejects Fox take over bid

AS media giant Time Warner has rejected an initial takeover approach from rival 21st Century Fox estimated at $80bn (£46.6bn).

The takeover approach by the Rupert Murdoch owned company was made last month, it was revealed.

Twenty-first Century Fox confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that its offer for Time Warner had been rejected.

It added it was not currently in talks with Time Warner about pursuing the deal further.

“21st Century Fox can confirm that we made a formal proposal to Time Warner last month to combine the two companies,” the company said.

“The Time Warner board of directors declined to pursue our proposal. We are not currently in any discussions with Time Warner.”

Twenty-first Century Fox, owns movie studio 20th Century Fox and cable news channel Fox News.

According to the New York Times, Fox offered to sell Time Warner-owned CNN as part of the takeover deal proposal for its rival in order to clear any objections US regulators might have had to the deal.

A statement released by Time Warner said after lengthy discussions it had decided it was not in its best interest or those of its shareholders to accept the proposal or to pursue any further discussions with Fox.

Time Warner’s share price jumped some 16.35 percent higher in the first 20 minutes of trade on the New Stock Exchange to $82.62 per share.

July 18, 2014
Time for home truth

Today’s column is informed by the startling result of the governorship election held last Saturday in Ekiti State. Many are still in shock that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and current governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi lost woefully to Mr Ayodele Fayose of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). A frank dissection of that defeat calls for some home truth. After all, it was Mahatma Gandhi that once said: “Truth never damages a cause that is just.” Permit me to add that it strengthens it.

The cause of progressivism being pursued, especially in the Southwest by the APC, needs critical re-appraisal if the party plans to sustain its power-grip and continue to make meaningful impacts in the political firmament of this important region. The Ekiti electoral defeat portends perilous consequences for progressive politics.

Voters in Ekiti, in that free and fair election, have demonstrated that indeed, sovereignty truly belongs to the people and that the people’s power held in trust by the elected officers of any polity can be withdrawn by them during periodic elections. Hitherto, the public had held tenaciously to the belief that the political party in power will always win any election because of what is commonly referred to in this part of the world as ‘incumbency factor.’ This power of incumbency is euphemism for executive tyranny in all parts of the country – without an exception. It is not only President Goodluck Jonathan that is ruling the country with fistic grip; other states’ governors have been ruling their jurisdictions as if such states were annexes of their private homes.

This attitude is responsible for why most of the governors have refused to conduct local government elections despite the fact that the lowest rung of government must constitutionally be governed by democratically elected people. Even when such council elections were conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), the party in power clears all the seats. The debacle: Most governors flagrantly disobey the constitution they swore to uphold, while in the other case, some governors and their parties organised elections that do not truly reflect the wishes of the people. This development has been the sad tale in both the PDP and APC-controlled states among others.

Unknown to most of these governors, not conducting the constitutionally required local government election will actually deny them the opportunity of knowing the genuine feelings of the people for their government. After all, most governors usually surround themselves with bootlickers who may never be inclined to letting them know the truth until after their individual tenure. This confirms Oscar Wilde’s affirmation: “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” This, in the column’s view, was partly responsible for Governor Fayemi’s ouster from power through the ballot box last week. Most of our governors are so power-drunk that they are usually not ready to test their popularity through such elections. Yet, Socrates, the inimitable philosopher, once bemoaned that an ‘unexamined life is not worth living.’

The consequence of executive aloofness from the genuine needs of the people was seen in the way Fayemi was massively voted out of power by the voters in that state. As a digression, permit me to say that after June 12, 1993 Presidential election, that Ekiti State election was another unique election that gave hope that the country can, if the right thing is done in the right direction, get it right electorally by the INEC. The election was free and fair – and even transparent. Fayemi merely did the honourable thing by congratulating Fayose, the winner of that election.

Doing anything contrary under the circumstance would have cast him as an intolerant democrat. What could have further gone wrong in that state? Afterall, Fayemi has reportedly transformed the state to the admiration of all. He builds roads, drainage channels and is turning the state’s environment into admirable sight for all to see. Not much is known by this column about his onslaughts in the realm of agriculture, transportation, education and health to mention but few. But yours sincerely could glean that his relationship with party stalwarts and other important stakeholders is equally poor.

However, because of the derelict state of roads in Nigeria generally, it is easier for any governor that embarks on road projects to be easily celebrated by the people. Under the current dispensation, the APC governors have smartly exploited this lacuna in road infrastructure to gain aplomb. But this is not enough developmental efforts in a country where there is huge graduate unemployment, widespread insecurity, insufficient food production capacity and poor transportation system in place. So, in the midst of these largely un-tackled challenges, it will be wrong for any governor or even president to think that tarring and expansion of roads alone will guarantee re-election. The people in power need to ask themselves how affordable the services being provided by their governments are to the people that in most cases are poverty-stricken and deprived. It is clear that university tuition is beyond the reach of poor children of struggling civil servants and largely peasants living in virtually all states.

The peanuts called salaries and other allowances are mostly paid in arrears by most state governments while elected/appointed people in government live in opulence. How far has the huge construction going on in these states been of benefit to locals? Have such projects benefited members/foot soldiers of the party that worked tirelessly for the election of these governors? Are these governors implementing the manifesto of their party or just following whatever interest them as projects? Do these APC governors give majority of their party loyalists the desired sense of belonging?

While this column agrees that these challenges contributed largely to why Fayemi lost in his re-election bid, it equally wants to state that the day he refused to give Fayose the then ACN party’s senatorial ticket was the day the foundation of his political loss was laid. Fayose is reportedly popular among the grassroots people, while Fayemi is an intellectual elite that is far alienated from his people and this further compounded by the fact that he is not schooled in political empiricism.

Fayemi’s failure in this regard calls to question the supremacy of political party that was so ingrained in western region’s political culture since the days of late Papa Obafemi Awolowo. Does it mean the leadership of APC across Yoruba land cannot call him to order before things degenerated to what we witnessed last weekend? Now that the man has lost, the problem becomes not only his personal affairs but that of the entire party with the fate of diminishing progressive politics in the region hanging in the air.

The election in Ekiti State has come and gone, but the nostalgic feelings of the thrills and trauma will for a long time remain worthy reference point. The APC leadership must come together to save the party from looming danger. Members of the leadership of the party, in most states, are enmeshed in crisis of ego with the governors. Something urgent must be done since an admission of this fact will save the national leadership from incurring in future the kind of electoral ridicule witnessed in Ekiti. This column believes that only deep-rooted honest introspection and an embrace of truth can rescue APC. The haughty disposition of governors can only last a short while. And the reason is simple: Historical antecedents have shown that such always fall in the end like a pack of cards. Simply put, the APC needs more of home truths to sustain power in states that it presently controls.

June 27, 2014
Omeruo: I will wait for my time

Super Eagles’ defender Kenneth Omeruo has said he will wait for his time at Middlesbrough despite being promised playing time before being allowed by Chelsea to join the Championship side on loan.

Omeruo was expected to make his debut last weekend in Middlesbrough’s away game at Bloomfield Road against Blackpool but he was overlooked by Coach Aitor Karanka.

Karanka later told the British press that he only allowed Omeruo to make the trip to Blackpool so he could start having a feel of the environment, but that as a mark of respect for the older players in ‘Boro, Omeruo would have to wait a little longer before getting his chance.

Speaking with SportingLife through his advisor, Chika Akujobi, Omeruo disclosed that he is happy at his development thus far at Middlesbrough and that he will be patient till whenever he gets a chance to make his debut.

The AFCON 2013 winner hinted that he has relished every opportunity to train with his new team-mates thus far and that he couldn’t wait to make his debut under Karanka.

“Kenneth is doing well in Middlesbrough and also training hard too. He is not desperate to play but will rather wait for his opportunity.

“He was with the team to Blackpool and has been training hard too. He has not asked the coach to field him but the coach will only use his discretion to play him at his convenience,” Akujobi told SportingLife.

January 18, 2014
What time is it?

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens” – Ecclesiastes 3:1

I love new things. New clothes…new shoes…new books…new clients…new friends, new vacation spots and of course a brand new year. I especially love going into a new year because it gives me the opportunity to start a new chapter in this journey called life. I was thinking, the other day, how tedious it would be if we did not have days, weeks, months or years to calibrate our lives and time just seemed to go on…and on…and on… with no breaks. Argh!

How would you take stock of your life? How would you measure progress? Imagine if you had to measure your age in days, 365 days old or 3650 days, orsweet 5840 and never been kissed, or independent 7665. Need I say more?

As I reflected on what a new year meant to me, it dawned on me how important time is to us all. It is a measure of our lives and gives us the opportunity to locate ourselves within the context of our personal journey and the universe so we can find our way to our desired destination.

In the last quarter of 2013, I found myself losing steam. I was not as inspired or bursting with energy as I was at the start of the year. Don’t get me wrong, 2013 was a phenomenal year. It’s just that the thrill of the hunt for entrepreneurial adventure seemed to have waned. The ideation and imagination phase was over and execution had fully kicked in. There was paperwork to be done, reports to write, proposals to create, potential clients to prospect and staff members to supervise, discipline and develop. What once seemed exciting like a new Karen Millen dress, had become old and rather tedious. I was seriously in need of a fresh start and new mountains to conquer.

Here is where the New Year comes in to save me. Life does not have to be a wearisome blur. I have a great excuse to STOP, REFLECT& CHANGE DIRECTION! I can close the door on the past (2013 is now history by the way) and look forward to new and greater achievements in 2014. I can abruptly end one chapter and start writing the next one. My past is not the only determinant of my future. What I choose to do in “THE MOMENT”, in “THE NOW”, in “THE PRESENT” ultimately determineswhere I end up. However, before I start writing my 2014 story I must ask myself one critical question. WHAT TIME IS IT? What season of life have I come upon? It takes wisdom and discernment to know what is right to do at any point in time.

How many times in 2014 do you suppose you are going to be asked the question, “What time is it?” And what do you think your answer will be? If you are trying to be funny, you might say “Time to get your own wristwatch”. Or you might do what you have been programmed to do your entire life which is to look at your wristwatch or phone or a clock and state the time of the day that it is. I want to encourage you to think about time in a different way in 2014, not as the position of the short and long hands of a clock but as a season with a specific purpose.

Time is what exists between the day of our birth and the day of our death. Time is a funny thing… on the one hand it is an equalizer, but on the other it is not. Time is called the universal leveler because everyone has 24 hours in any given day whether rich, poor, strong, weak, old, young, good or bad. My mother had a favorite saying when I was growing up and whenever I asked her why we did not have certain things that other contemporaries had. “All fingers are not equal”, she said. (By the way, I got a slap when I repeated the same words to her when she asked me about my junior secondary school examination results, LOL.)You see, even though you are guaranteed the same universal time every day, there are no guarantees for how many days your eyes will see. Which begs the question, “What should you do with the time that is indeed given to you?”

WHAT TIME IS IT? Is it the time to be with family and loved ones? Is it time to pursue higher education? Is it time to start a business? Is it time to start a family? Is it time to become a supervisor, team lead or manager? Is it time to invest in your health and wellness? Is it time to retire? Is it time to change your career? Is it time to change your car?

The next time you or someone else asks you for the time, and you take a look at your watch, don’t just tell the time…LIVE THE TIME!

HAVE A PROSPEROUS

2014!

January 12, 2014
Varsities in race against time

Life returned to many universities on Monday as they reopened after the protracted Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike. They are racing to recover lost ground for the benefit of students.

Last Monday, life returned to many universities after the over five-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Their resumption ended the drought in commercial, social and academic activities in many parts of the country.

Back to life

While some schools teemed with students, others had yet to resume.

On Monday and Tuesday, the University of Ibadan (UI) and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), bustled with students who were excited to be back in school.

Babatunde Badmus, Students’ Union President, UI mirrored the students’ excitement when he said: “As a matter of fact we the students are happy to be back on campus and really appreciate the effort of ASUU on the industrial action which has now given hope to the education sector of my fatherland.”

He added: “Now that the Federal Government has pumped money into education sector and still has more plans to do such continuously, if those funds are being managed and administered properly, to a large extent, students welfare in terms of water, light, laboratory, hostels and accommodation, educational resources, research tools among others will improve; and that to a large extent will reduce the internal brouhaha between the school authorities and the Students Union which may result in an internal strike.”

At the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), students were seen hanging around their lecture rooms waiting patiently for the arrival of their lecturers.

Already, the institution, which pulled out of the strike last November, has begun its second semester.

A 100-level student of Mass Communication, Bolatito Akintomiwa praised the management for pulling out of the strike before it was ended by the union leaders.

At the University of Lagos (UNILAG), classes were half-filled but an appreciable number of students were around attending lectures in the various faculties. When The Nation visited the Federal University of Technology, Akure [FUTA], students were seen returning to the campus but lectures had not begun, while at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, lectures had begun – though some students were just arriving.

Although academic activities had not fully started at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, students were speedily settling down for lectures. Their securing their accommodation was their priority.

An undergraduate, Miss Mulikat Abdulsalam from Kwara State who arrived on Sunday, said ” I am more concerned about my accommodation to enable me settle down for my lectures. We have stayed too long but Allah knows why and we thank Him for the calling off of the strike by our lecturers.”

At the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) academic activities have resumed in earnest. Students were seen trickling into the university campus at Agbani. Most of the departments resumed immediately with the abandoned semester examinations.

At the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, the classrooms were scantily-filled despite the university resuming two weeks ago. The situation was similar at the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, while at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) and the Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH), the students were hardly around. This notwithstanding, lecturers attended to students who showed up for lectures.

Mr Ayo Ayodele, who teaches English at the LASU said he taught despite the low turnout.

“I taught last week, I taught on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, although the students were not many. A class of about 100 only 20 came and I taught them. Another class of about 150, only about 20 came and I still taught them,” he said.

Chairman, ASUU DELSU chapter, Dr Emmanuel Mordi said the students’ apathy to resumption may not be unconnected with the yuletide festivities that ended last week.

“We have indeed resumed. Unfortunately there are no students on campus, but lecturers have since resumed academic activities. We cannot know why students are staying away from classes. It is possible that the festive period is to blame. We went on air and radio to inform them (students) that lecturers are ready to teach. We will do everything possible to make up for lost time,” he said.

At UNICAL on Monday there were no academic activities at all. Most students seen on campus came to gather information about admission, do registration and other non-academic activities.

Chairman of ASUU, UNICAL, Dr James Okpiliya, said lecturers could not teach because of the students’ absence.

“The students do not want to come back. Today we were in school to teach but the students were not there. With or without the students, we have started work. We have cleaned our offices, and the timetable has come out this evening. Department board meetings are going on and everything is set. We have begun in earnest.”

A student, Elias Asuquo, who attributed the poor turnout to habit, said it should not deter lecturers because a lot needs to be covered.

“I feel so grateful to be back. I was so eager for school to reopen and I could not stay back one bit. I think the reason most students are not back is because they feel the festive season is still in the air. This is how it has been over the years whenever we are to resume after the New Year. Students just stay back and give themselves an additional one or two weeks before they come back. But we should not wait for them,” he said.

At CRUTECH despite the poor turnout of students, lectures started. A student of Mass Communication in the institution said they had started revising for examinations.

“Lecturers have started in some departments, like our class in the Mass Communications department had a class today. However, the turnout was very low. We will soon start exams and most of the classes were revision classes. The examinations officer of the department said the timetable for the exams would soon be out and that students should prepare for it. Meanwhile all pending assignments are to be submitted next week,” she said.

However, classes did not hold at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the University of Jos (UNIJOS) because of internal crisis, which many of the students have condemned.

At UNN, classes did not hold because the various workers’ unions – ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities [SSANU] and the Non Academic Staff Union [NASU] are demanding the removal of the vice chancellor, Prof Batho Okolo, for alleged high handedness.

They are also demanding for the reinstatement of the pro-chancellor, Dr. Emeka Enejere who they alleged was removed unjustly.

The Chairman of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), UNN, Dr Ifeanyichukwu Abada urged the Federal Government set up a judicial panel of enquiry to look into a lot of alleged atrocities committed in the University by O.

Abada, who is also the ASUU Chairman, UNN chapter, said the members were not on strike but were protesting the illegality perpetrated in the university.

As at the time of filing this report, students were yet to resume in both Nsukka and Enugu campuses of the university.

At UNIJOS, members of the local ASUU have kept out of the classrooms because of the controversial implementation of the university’s share of earned allowances paid by the Federal Government.

Students of the university resumed on Monday to meet their lecturers’ offices locked with no one to answer their questions. The situation caused tension and they threatened to react.

The Nation gathered that ASUU has said its members will not participate in any academic activity until they are paid their full earned allowances out of the N1.16 billion paid by the Federal Government.

In a statement by the chairman, David Jangkam, the union questioned why the university management did not use the initial computation of the earned allowances of 2010-2012 or the verified computation of 2013 in disbursing the money – resulting in some of them receiving three or four times more than others who should have earned more.

“Instead the University of Jos administration shared the money as it deemed fit without regard to whether members of staff earned same entitlement or not, thus resulting in some members getting far less than what they are entitled to and most members getting nothing at all,” the statement noted.

However, the university management has urged the lecturers to return to the classroom as the situation is being investigated by the Senate. The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Hayward Mafuyayi and the registrar, Mr Jilly Dandam, said the situation is not enough to suspend resumption of academic activities in the school.

The registrar said: “Earned allowances were paid to all staff of the University on 4th October, 2013 and 4th December, 2013 respectively. Management has noted the observations of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Jos Chapter, of a few errors in the payment made. This is now being addressed with despatch.

“The University of Jos has completed payment of the five-months withheld salaries during the ASUU strike to all the academic staff of the university.”

The VC said, “The school’s academic calendar has already begun to run and students should be in their various classes for lectures.”

While the misunderstanding between ASUU and school authority rages, students said they are already running out of patience with both parties.

Most of them were seen discussing in groups, frustration written on their faces.

The Students Union is threatening a showdown with the lecturers and management. Some who spoke with The Nation said they are waiting for more students to resume to decide what to do.

A 300-Level student, who does not want to be named, said: “We have run out of patience. After waiting for six months due to ASUU strike, all other universities have commenced serious academic activities, but here we are stranded on resumption. We may be patient for this week but if by the beginning of next week these issues are not resolved by lecturers and management, the whole world will know our reaction.”

The student agreed that the issue can be settled while lectures are on.

“We cannot take this anymore; our lecturers are taking us for a ride. The issue of payment can be resolved since the fund is available. This does not warrant boycotting classes. They are deliberately punishing us, and God will punish them,” he said.

Pace of work

Since resuming, lecturers have not taken things easy with the students. Apart from teaching and revisions, they are demanding that assignments be submitted and conducting tests. Many students, despite lamenting the loss of nearly six months, are not happy about the rush.

The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria recalled students to school on December 29, 2013 and lectures immediately began. The Nation gathered that even on New Year day, some of the departments had lectures hoping to covering lost ground.

Second semester examinations earlier scheduled to begin on Monday, has been shifted until next week. Even though the timetable for the examination had not been released as at the time of this report, it was learnt that final year students are supposed to start their examination on Monday, January 13, while others will follow suit.

Some of the students told The Nation they were not comfortable with rushing through what remains of the calendar.

One of the students, who pleaded anonymity, said “you can imagine that we had to come here on New Year day for lectures. Some of the lecturers are now rushing us because when it was time for them to come for lectures, they were either not there or refused to. Now, we are paying the price.”

Students of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, are hoping their lecturers will be committed to completing the semester but also fear the pressure.

“We expect our lecturers to see reasons with us and continue with normal academic activities under less pressure while we hope they will also maintain a more serious approach to their lectures with promptness without taking advantage of the lost period to strike action for granted by deliberately victimising us”, they said to The Nation.

Some FUTO students who pleaded anonymity, regretted that each time the school are shut down, they suffer the most.

“We are now hurrying to prepare for our semester examination and the lecturers have been paid their entitlements but nothing is said about the students who have wasted their time as a result of the strike,” they told The Nation.

There will be no cause to rush students at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, MOUAU, as its ASUU Chairman, , Onyebinama Uzochukwu said almost all the work for the 2012/2013 session had been completed before the strike.

“Before the strike started, we had about two weeks to go, so in essence, the bulk of the teaching had been done. Now that we are back, we have adjusted our academic calendar to cover the lost grounds after which they will have their revision week and subsequently have their exams. The only thing is that the academic session will drag into February and in order to have a moral justification of our four months salary, we are still going to clear the backlog of academic activities because there is no way you can carry over academic activities of the last session into the new one.”

January 9, 2014
Why we must manage our time

Imagine this scenario: there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $90,000. It carries over no balance from one day to another. After the close of work each day, the bank clears your account of the remaining money; the next day, it credits your account with fresh cash. What would you do? You would withdraw every kobo, of course.

Each of us has such a bank. Its name is called “time”. Every morning, it credits us with 86,400 seconds. Every night, it writes off as a loss whatever seconds we have failed to invest on good purpose. It carries over no balance to the next day. It allows no overdraft either.

Each day opens a new account for us. Each night burns seconds we did not spend judiciously during the day. If one fails to use the day’s deposits properly, loss awaits him. There is no withdrawing of yesterday’s ‘cash’ for tomorrow’s use. One must live on the present deposit.

We must endeavour to invest in future so that we can retire in good health, happiness and success. The clock is running. Time management is important because of the shortness of our lives. Our earthly sojourn is significantly shorter than we are wont to think. As it is stated in Psalm, 39 and verses 4-5: “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.”

More than 300 years ago, François Fénelon, a clergy in the 17th century, understood how valuable time could be. He wrote: “Time is precious, but we do not know yet how precious it really is. We will only know when we are no longer able to take advantage of it. Liberal and generous in every way, God in the wise economy of his providence teaches us how we should be prudent about the proper use of time. He never gives us two moments at the same time. He never gives us a second moment without taking away the first. And he never grants us that second moment without holding the third one in his hand, leaving us completely uncertain as to whether we will have it.”

The great saints of old learned the wisdom of having only two days on their calendars: today and that day – the day they would be with the Lord. If we want a heart of wisdom, we must learn to live each day in light of that day. When we daily remind ourselves of our purpose on earth, we will cultivate an eternal habit of managing our time; and it will influence our work and all our relationships with others.

Apostle James echoe this in James 4:14 when he said: “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Indeed, our time on earth is registered on the radar screen of life. To live as God would have us to live, it is essential that we make the best use of our time.

Prophet Moses prayed: “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” A good way to gain wisdom is to learn to live each day with an eternal perspective. Our Creator has set eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Knowing that we will have to give an account to the One who gave us time should motivate us to use it well. Clive Staples Lewis, a novelist, academic and Christian apologist from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who is best known both for his fictional work, especially The Screwtape Letters, said: “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.”

Paul the Apostles’ letter to the Ephesians cautioned the saints: “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16). Living wisely involves using our time carefully. Knowing that the harvest is great and the workers are few, and that time is rapidly dwindling should help us make better use of our time.

There is no doubt that the responsibilities and pressures of this world scream for our attention. The myriad of things pulling us in different directions makes it all too easy for our time to get swallowed up on mundane matters. Those endeavours, which have eternal value then, often get relegated to the back burner. To avoid losing focus, we need to prioritise and set goals. More so, to whatever extent possible, we need to delegate.

Regarding our work ethics, we need to recall that God did all of His work in six days and rested on the seventh. This tells us that our Creator’s expectations relative to our own work ethics. Indeed, Proverbs 6:10-11 reveal the Lord’s disdain for slothful behavior: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a bandit.”

We need to place our focus on that which is eternal as opposed to the fleeting pleasures of this passing world. Accordingly, we should move forward with diligence and divine purpose as the courses of our lives progress toward God’s ultimate goal. We are to accomplish as much as we can with the time God has given us. We will be eternally rewarded for investing our time in good works (1 Corinthians 3:14). We should live as if each minute counts – because it really does.

•Segun, 200-Level Public Administration, LASU

October 3, 2013
Nothing contests my time with my family

Ever dashing Prime Time Entertainment and Prime Time Africa Tv Presenter, Dayo Adeneye is a delight to talk to any day. Soft spoken he maybe, Dayo Adeneye, keeps a private lifestyle despite his conspicuous TV screen appearances. After a successful Grammy coverage in USA, he returned to Nigeria to mourn Goldie, a friend and artiste with whom he had worked so closely. He had to celebrate his birthday, on a day that coincided with Tuface’s wedding in far away Dubai. For him and his business partner, Kenny Ogungbe, their absence was a controversy not needed! Family-loving Dayo Adeneye tells why family comes first and more. He spoke to PAUL UKPABIO.

It’s wonderful to see you at home, so involved with your family, we posed to Dayo Adeneye a.k.a D-One. He shot back: “My family comes first. I don’t put any job ahead of my family. You can ask my wife over there (points at her). I don’t leave this house until 10 am and by 4-5pm, I am back. I don’t care if you call me, ‘come and pick N20 million,’ I will tell you wait till tomorrow. My children know that too.
“Sometimes, I come back home before they get back from school. Look, my philosophy is that ‘you don’t have to struggle.’ I deserve to have an amazing life. Won ni toba fe lowo laye, mase sole (If you want to be rich in life, don’t be lazy) but then again, the Yoruba also say, Kirakita ko dola (Struggles don’t guarantee wealth). I believe my God knows what I need and He awould take care of my needs.
“I don’t need to work 18 hours a day. You don’t have to work 18 hours, 24 hours a day when you find your calling. When you are within the purview of your calling, it would be easy. God would make a way. He is an omnipotent God, He is God of abundance, He would give me everything I need. So, I make out time for my children. They are here, you can see them right here with me; at 5pm I am at home. Weekends, I am at home with them, Saturdays, Sundays, I am home with them. So, I don’t joke with my children even though I travel quite a bit. I travel a lot but we are on Skype everyday. I talk to them everyday. I talk to them every morning and they understand that this is what I do. This is what Daddy does”.
And just as he spends much time at home with the family, D-One, as he is fondly called, cherishes his marital relationship. He is also quick to tell you, that his wife has been a blessing to him. Caroline Adeneye (Nee Negbenebor) a Bini princess, is his charming wife.
“Ha, that’s my Oga on top! I hope you noticed I didn’t say ‘my oga at the top’, I said ‘my oga on top! ‘That’s because when I wake up in the morning, she tells me, ‘wear this trouser, wear this shirt, wear this shoe. This looks better, this looks trendy, eat this, eat that, it will make your day better’. And I thank God for her. I am grateful to God that I met this woman. I thank God that I married her; there have been nothing but blessings in my life. Blessings upon blessings since I married this woman. I mean, my life has been tremendously blessed. She is a plus to my life.
“After Baba God, it is her. I mean she has done wonders in my life. I can leave this house for six months and when I come back, I know my house will remain intact because I know she will take care of everything and she will not bother me with phone calls saying ‘Omo need eleyi (I need this), diesel ti tan (diesel is finished) or “I need school fees etc,’ she would take care of everything. And that makes me proud to call her my partner”.
Dayo Adeneye who has won style awards in time past believes that being a snappy dresser earned him the recent Best Dressed Television Personality Award.
“I have always been like that, my pictures from secondary school can testify. I like the good things a lot; I like good shoes, I like good clothes, I like good cars. I have always had taste for good things of life”.
D-One on set may instantly appeal to viewers at home as a brash, loud extrovert. What with the top range entertainers that get featured on Prime Time different entertainment programmes. However, meeting the same person at home is quite a different ball game.
“Well, most people are surprised that I am a very shy person despite the fact that I am in entertainment; I am on radio and TV. I think that is also good for me because I am a very reserved person. I am a very private individual and I like to keep to myself a lot. But my wife is very outgoing and she loves people, she mingles with people. When I celebrated my 50th birthday recently, as at the day before the party, I had nothing of such in my mind. But people kept calling and saying ‘we are coming over to your house, we are coming to celebrate with you.’ So, we had no choice than to light stoves, like Nigerians will say. To light stove and buy drinks. But I am grateful to God. I think I have friends and people like to come and celebrate with me. I am grateful that I have the love of friends and family.
However, we have to celebrate everyday. Everyday is a Friday, everyday is your birthday, everyday is Christmas. Don’t wait till Easter, don’t wait till Christmas to celebrate. Every single day is your birthday. When you wake up in the morning, thank God, give God all the praises and celebrate like it could be your last”.
The favourite TV Presenter has also in recent times featured in Nollywood movies. Asked if he was about to dump his radio and television jobs, D-One replied: “You know what they say ‘when you find your calling, you never have to work a day in your life.’ I actually started with acting in the days of ‘Palace.’ So, acting is a part of me, it is part of entertainment. It is something I enjoy, whether it is Radio, TV, Sports, I do the things that fulfil me in life. I don’t do anything for money. It is part of my philosophy in life, whatever I do, I believe, just be the best at it. And I go to schools, I go to secondary schools, I go to universities and I give speeches and I give lectures.
Whatever you do in life, be the best at it. And whatever it is that I have to do, it must be something that I enjoy. I have been a teacher, I was a teacher for seven years. I left a tremendously good paying job to be a teacher because I just felt I have some knowledge to impact. And I dare say I was one of the best teachers in the State of California because my students won just about every award that was there to be won in the State of California. Right now I feel I am one of the best in what I do on Radio and TV. When I feel I am no longer happy doing it, I will move on to something else. But for now, it is what I do and I enjoy it. I have interests in other things; I do real estate. I do other things but for now, entertainment gives me the best motivation. Being able to help young people actualise their dreams whether it is singing, becoming an actor or actress, gives me joy, that gives me fulfilment. But the moment I get bored with it and I feel I have to move on to something else, weather it is politics, will move on to it. I do the things that make me happy, I don’t do anything for money”.
At the end of the day, when all that concerns his life has been fulfilled, what would Dayo Adeneye love to be remembered for? “That rings in my head every morning when I wake up; what would I be remembered for? I don’t want to be remembered for how much I left in my bank account. I don’t want to be remembered for how many houses I have. I don’t want to be remembered for how many cars I drove or the brand of cars I drove. Nobody remembers you for those mundane things. If they ask you which kind of car did Late Pa Awolowo drive in those days, would you remember? But everybody will tell you Awolowo gave free education in the Western Region; everybody will tell you Nnamdi Azikiwe was the first president of Nigeria, they will tell you what Tafawa Balewa stood for. That is how I want to be remembered. I dare say that if they write the history of entertainment in Nigeria, you will at least leave one paragraph for Kenny and D-One and that gives me
fulfilment. To feel that I have contributed my own small quota to the development of this country and that makes me happy.
“I want to live long. I want to see my children marry and have a feel of the character of my grand children. We have contributed our own small quota but there is a lot more we can do given an enabling environment, there is a lot more we can do. But you know how the country is, you can talk and talk. Without money you can’t get anything done but even with the limited resources, you can see what the entertainment industry is today. The Idris Abdulkareem of this world, the Banky Ws, the Tiwa Savages of this world, all of them had to return to Nigeria. Even D-Banj would tell you he had to return home. So, we thank God that we contributed our small quota to that industry. Once government understands that and creates an enabling environment, we can do more”.
The show biz personae used the opportunity to clear the air on why he was conspicuously absent at Late Goldie Harvey’s funeral and of course the much trumpeted absence at Tu face Idibia’s wedding in Dubai.
“Well, the plans were already in place actually. I had appointments before we left Nigeria. I had scheduled meetings with some clients based in Atlanta, Anguilla and in Canada. And you know white people, even on your worst day, the show must go on. Even if your mother dies and they gave you that day, you have to be at the meeting. If you don’t make the meeting, it could be in the next six months before you get another schedule. So, I actually left herself and Kenny behind in Los Angeles to go for those meetings when I heard she had passed on. And I practise a philosophy, I don’t cry over things that are obvious. As close as we were, I didn’t cry. Yes, I didn’t sleep for five nights but I didn’t cry. Because I was happy that Goldie fulfilled her life, she did what she wanted to do in the very short time that she lived. At the age of 13, she had started dressing like Madonna and she said to her father, ‘Daddy, I am going to be a star’.
“On Tuface however, I must congratulate him and his better half Annie. but their wedding day was also my birthday in Lagos! I couldn’t go because a lot of people started calling me, my uncles, my friends that they would be coming over to my house. Of course, I had the invitation from Tuface, he told me personally that he wanted me to come. I wish them nothing but the best in life. But I just couldn’t travel”.

May 24, 2013
Time to be like Awo

Those who speak of the good old days in Nigeria, especially the pre-military regime years sure know what they are talking about.

Former Governor Omololu Olunloyo of Oyo State must have shocked many participants at the just concluded South-West Expo held in Osogbo, Osun State when he disclosed that he got two scholarships from the Western region government headed by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and in his own words, was granted the indulgence of using the two to study Mathematics and Engineering abroad.

Using his case illustrate the benefits of regional integration which was the theme of the trade exhibition and seminar organised by Vintage Press Limited, Chief Olunloyo noted that the major source of income for the old western region was Cocoa which was not grown in Ibadan, the region’s capital but in Idanre, Akoko and part of the present Osun State.

Like other speakers including Former Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Bola Ajibola, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Senator Abiola Ajimobi also acknowledged, that there are abundant resources in various parts of the South-West which has to be harnessed through coordinated efforts by State governments irrespective of political affiliations now or in the future.

It is unfortunate that the discovery of oil has made successive governments in the country not to give agriculture the deserved priority which would have earned us additional revenue and reduced our present over- dependence on oil proceeds.

Rather than being an additional blessing, the discovery of oil has become a curse of a sort with not only the constantly fluctuating price in the international market but uncertainty of how long we would continue to earn enough from its sale.

One of the things the South-West Expo succeeded in doing is that it served as yet another timely reminder for not only the South West but all regions and the federal government to cooperate on how to develop our agriculture sector and fully maximise the benefits of the resources our nation has been blessed with.

Instead of engaging in duplication of efforts, there is an urgent need backed by necessary government policies and willingness to identify the competitive advantages of each state and focus on them.

The South-West States already have the benefit of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) which the Director General of the Director General of the Western Nigeria Integration Commission, Mr Dipo Famakinwa spoke on during the programme.

As he advised, South-West leaders should leverage on shared historical affiliations of states in the zone, to build synergies and economies of scale, whereby the region and its people will experience enhanced human and social development outcomes across all spheres of existence.

Famakinwa was right as he stated in his presentation. “The world is looking in the direction of Africa for agriculture and nutrition, and for other commercial possibilities that the fast-urbanising Africa presents. There is a compelling necessity to prepare the Region for global competitiveness. It is a crisis situation and Yorubaland ( and indeed other regions in the country) cannot wait,”.

We have to stop remembering how well the late Chief Awolowo in developing the western region. Our leaders who claim to be his disciples should do better than he did years ago.

February 10, 2013